The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it intercepted a total of 340 million tramadol tablets found in 12 containers in Apapa Sea Ports, Lagos.
Tramadol, a psychotropic drug and opiate derivative, was recently banned by the Federal Government.
The Chairman of the agency, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd), said in Abuja on Wednesday that the seizures were achieved with the collaboration of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
A spokesman of the NDLEA, Jonah Achema, said in a statement quoting the Chairman of the agency that the tablets which were in various dosages ranging from 120 to 250 milligrams were recovered from 12 containers in an on-going search of containers at the port.
“These containers which have been on the watch-list of NDLEA since November 2017 were brought to the attention of the NCS, to be positioned for search based on the agency’s (NDLEA) reasonable suspicion of the containers containing Tramadol.
“The Nigeria Customs Service on Thursday dropped only 28 of the 62 containers for search where 12 of the containers have been found to contain Tramadol. The search is still on-going.
“Tramadol is a pharmaceutical drug which has been subject of abuse by the populace. In one single operation in November last year, the Agency intercepted 160 million tablets of tramadol at the Apapa Port which ranged from 220 to 250 milligrams.
“They were imported from India using false documents in the name of an unregistered company,” the statement said.
Col. Abdallah (rtd.) said it is doubtful that this influx of Tramadol is for legitimate use.
“Tramadol which is a derivative of Opiate is for post-surgery application but even if everybody in Nigeria undergoes surgery every year, we do not need the quantity that enters our country. It only suggests their diversion for illicit use,” he said.
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